Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFBAV1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFBAV1’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform flowering habit; strong upright flowering stems typically grown as a disbud-type with one inflorescence per lateral branch; large decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; excellent postproduction longevity; and tolerance to low and high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DLFBAV1’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Varieties of Chrysanthemum Plants

Applicant: Arie Gerard Post

Provisional application Ser. No. 62/764,554

Filed: Aug. 7, 2018

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘DLFBAV1’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut Chrysanthemum plants with attractive inflorescences, strong flowering stems and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum x morifolium ‘DLFBAV3’, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘DLFBAV3’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands on Feb. 13, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings since Feb. 13, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DLFBAV1’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DLFBAV1’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform flowering habit.     -   4. Strong upright flowering stems typically grown as a         disbud-type with one inflorescence per lateral branch.     -   5. Large decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets.     -   6. Excellent postproduction longevity.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to low and high temperatures.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘DLFBAV3’, in ray floret color as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have white-colored ray florets whereas plants of ‘DLFBAV3’ are light purple in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Zembla’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,052. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Zembla’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are denser         than inflorescences of plants of ‘Zembla’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are slightly         whiter in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Zembla’.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘DLFGAGA1’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘DLFGAGA1’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller in         inflorescences than plants of ‘DLFGAGA1’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are slightly         whiter in color than ray florets of plants of ‘DLFGAGA1’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘DLFBAV1’ grown as a disbud-type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the lower (top of the photographic sheet) and upper surfaces (bottom of the photographic sheet) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘DLFBAV1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial cut Chrysanthemum production. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and light levels averaged 8 klux. Plants were grown as single-stem disbud-type plants and were ten weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘DLFBAV1’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum     x morifolium ‘DLFBAV3’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve             days at temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically creamy white in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut             flower that is typically grown as a single stem disbud-type;             upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderate to             rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 95.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescence             plane.—About 102.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter (foliar).—About 19.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter (floral).—About 11.3 cm.         -   Flowering stem length.—About 98.3 cm.         -   Flowering stem diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Flowering stem internode length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flowering stem strength.—Strong.         -   Flowering stem aspect.—Erect.         -   Flowering stem texture and luster.—Moderately pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Flowering stem color, developing.—Close to 144A, at the             internodes, close to 146B.         -   Flowering stem color, developed.—Close to 144A and 146B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 11.8 cm. Width: About 9.3 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate.             Apex: Short apiculate. Base: Narrowly attenuate. Margin:             Palmately lobed, coarsely crenate to dentate; sinuses             convergent and shallow to medium in depth. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Moderately to densely pubescent, not             rugose; moderately velvety; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Moderately to densely pubescent,             prominent venation; moderately velvety; matte. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 143A to 143B. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to NN137A; venation, close to 146B. Fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 146C. Petioles: Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm by 4 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces. Moderately to densely             pubescent; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             147C; edges, close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to             146D; edges, close to 147B. Stipules: Quantity and             appearance: Two leafy stipules, opposite, at the petiole             attachment to the stem. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About             1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Short apiculate. Base: Cuneate.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately to densely             pubescent, not rugose; moderately velvety; slightly glossy.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately to densely             pubescent, prominent venation; moderately velvety; matte.             Color: Upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation, close to             146B. Lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne             perpendicular to peduncles and face mostly upright; ray             florets develop acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); plants exposed to two weeks             of long day/short night conditions after planting followed             by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower             about 70 days later when grown as a spray-type; uniform             flowering habit.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity; in             an interior environment, inflorescences and foliage will             maintain good color and substance for about two weeks;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Typically grown as a disbud type             therefore, only the terminal inflorescence develops.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11.3 cm. Depth (height):             About 7.4 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Broad inverted cordate. Color: Close to 193A and             193D.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About             1.7 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster:             Smooth and glabrous; base of immature bracts is moderately             pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 137C and 138D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 400 arranged in             about ten whorls. Length: About 1.8 cm to 5.5 cm. Width:             About 0.4 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate; strongly             concave; moderately carinate. Apex: Bluntly acute to             emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; not undulate.             Aspect: Initially upright to eventually horizontal. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             velvety to velvety; not rugose; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; not             rugose; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155C; distally, close to between             150D and 157D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D;             venation, close to NN155D; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155B;             venation, close to NN155B; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—To date, disc floret development has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 50             arranged in three whorls. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About             3.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Moderately pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to             146B to 146C; margins, translucent, and close to 157D;             apices, close to N199A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137B;             margins, translucent, close to 157D; apices, close to N199A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.7 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Moderately to densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close             to 147A and 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Androecium development has             not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.             Gynoecium: Present on ray florets. Quantity: One per floret.             Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style length: About 6 mm. Style             color: Close to 150C. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Cleft, decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 154B. Ovary             color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     been observed to be resistant to Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium     oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi). To date, resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed     on plants of the new Chrysanthemum grown under commercial     conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFBAV1’ as illustrated and described. 